California plans to lift most coronavirus restrictions on businesses and workplaces June 15, keep mask mandate

SAN FRANCISCO (AP) — California plans to lift most coronavirus restrictions on businesses and workplaces June 15. State officials said Tuesday that enough people should be vaccinated by then to allow for life to almost get back to a pre-pandemic normal. Gov. Gavin Newsom said the mask mandate will stay in place. He says the nation’s most populated state won’t reopen more widely unless there’s sufficient vaccine supply and hospitalization rates stay low. The announcement comes as states across the country have lifted health restrictions as more people get vaccinated. California had some of the nation’s strictest pandemic rules, becoming the first to institute a statewide stay-at-home order last spring.